Ramadan is almost here, but how much do you know about this religious festival? We've taken a closer look at why and how Muslims celebrate Ramadan and thought about what we all can learn from its customs and rituals - like giving up bad habits and doing good deeds.
In 2022 Ramadan is from Friday, 1st April until Sunday, 1st May.
Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It lasts for 29 to 30 days, which is roughly one month. Ramadan happens during the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. The Islamic calendar is based on the cycle of the moon so the dates of Ramadan change every year. In 2021, Ramadan will begin on the evening of Monday 12th April when the new moon first appears in the sky. It will end on Tuesday 11th May, the night of the waning crescent moon.
During Ramadan, Muslims don’t eat or drink anything during the hours of daylight. This is called fasting. Children don’t usually fast until they are 14 years old. Some Muslims don’t have to fast, they include, pregnant women, elderly people, people who are unwell and people travelling.
Muslims try to spend time with their family during Ramadan. They also try to help people in need, give up bad habits and devote time to prayer. Lots of Muslims try to read the whole of the Qur’an during Ramadan. This is because Ramadan is the month the Qur’an was given to the Prophet Muhammad. Special services take place at the Mosque where prayers are said and the Qur’an is read.
Muslims fast during Ramadan to help devote themselves to Islam. They do this to learn self-discipline and feel empathy for the poor.
The meal Muslims have before the sun rises is called Suhoor. Suhoor means ‘of the dawn’. Iftar is the evening meal eaten after sunset. It marks the end of the day of fasting. Iftar means ‘break of a fast’.
Laylat al-Qadr is the night Muslims believe the Qur’an was sent down from Heaven to the world and revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Laylat al-Qadr is thought to have happened between the 23rd and 27th night of Ramadan.
The end of Ramadan is celebrated with a big celebration called ‘Eid ul-Fitr’. This celebration marks the end of fasting and gives thanks for the strength given by Allah during the month of Ramadan. Muslims dress in their finest clothes, give gifts to children, spend time with their friends and family and give money to charity.
Eid celebrations
The Five Pillars of Islam are acts that are important in Muslim life.
The first pillar is Shahadah. Shahadah is the declaration that Allah is the only God.
The second pillar is Salat. The Salat are the five prayers Muslims say every day
The third pillar is Zakat. Zakat means to be charitable and give to those in need.
The fourth pillar is Sawm. Sawm is the month-long fast Muslims do during Ramadan.
The fifth pillar is Hajj. Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca.
Eid ul-Fitr - The Festival of the Breaking of the Fast
Islam - The religion of Muslims. Islam is a monotheistic faith
Laylat al-Qadr - The Night of Power
Mosque - A place of worship for Muslims
Monotheistic - A religion with only one God
Muslim - The people who follow Islam
New moon - The phase of the moon when it first appears in the sky as a slender crescent
Waning crescent - The shrinking crescent of the moon
Waxing crescent - The growing crescent of the moon
Make moon sighting binoculars with your children.
Get two toilet rolls, and stick them together to make binoculars.
Decorate the toilet rolls to look like the night sky.
Attach string to the binoculars.
TEACHERS: Want to find out more about Islam? We have loads of downloadable ready-to-teach Islam RE lessons for primary school children. We also have this free Beautiful Names of Allah word search..
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